Diwali (also called Deepavali), or the Festival of Lights, celebrates the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness. Celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists, it falls between mid-October and mid-November according to the Gregorian calendar. In 2015, Diwali lands on November 11.

New clothes, the lighting of diya (lamps and candles), family puja (prayers), and fireworks are all part of the festivities. Mithai (sweets) are especially symbolic of the happy occasion and are offered to the gods as well as distributed among families. Traditionally, households gear up for Diwali by preparing homemade mithai. However, this tradition is slowly fading away as modern families turn to sweet shops for their supply.

The prolific selection of mithai ranges from simple to more complicated delicacies. I decided to try my hand at one that seemed easy enough for a novice like me, laddu. These super-sweet, truffle-like sweets come in many varieties: chickpeas, dried fruit, semolina, wheat, and my coconut version below.